Multi-mode power management system supporting fifth-generation new radio

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a multi-mode power management system supporting fifth-generation new radio (5G-NR). The multi-mode power management system includes first tracker circuitry and second tracker circuitry each capable of supplying an envelope tracking (ET) modulated or an average power tracking (APT) modulated voltage. In examples discussed herein, the first tracker circuitry and the second tracker circuitry have been configured to support third-generation (3G) and fourth-generation (4G) power amplifier circuits in various 3G/4G operation modes. The multi-mode power management system is adapted to further support a 5G-NR power amplifier circuit(s) in various 5G-NR operation modes based on the existing first tracker circuitry and/or the existing second tracker circuitry. In this regard, the 5G-NR power amplifier circuit(s) can be incorporated into the existing multi-mode power management system with minimum hardware changes, thus enabling 5G-NR support without significantly increasing component count, cost, and footprint of the multi-mode power management system.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multi-mode power management system comprising:
 a power amplifier circuit configured to amplify a fifth-generation new radio (5G-NR) signal to an output power level for transmission in a 5G-NR band, the power amplifier circuit comprising:
 a carrier amplifier configured to amplify the 5G-NR signal to a first power level in response to receiving a first bias voltage at a first bias voltage input; and 
 a peaking amplifier configured to amplify the 5G-NR signal to a second power level in response to receiving a second bias voltage at a second bias voltage input; 
 wherein a sum of the first power level and the second power level equals the output power level; 
 
 first tracker circuitry configured to generate a first voltage at a first voltage output; 
 second tracker circuitry configured to generate a second voltage at a second voltage output; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 couple the first voltage output to the first bias voltage input and the second bias voltage input in a 5G-NR low power mode; and 
 couple the first voltage output and the second voltage output to the first bias voltage input and the second bias voltage input, respectively, in a 5G-NR high power mode. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 operate in the 5G-NR low power mode in response to the output power level of the 5G-NR signal being less than or equal to a power threshold; and 
 operate in the 5G-NR high power mode in response to the output power level of the 5G-NR signal being greater than the power threshold. 
 
     
     
       3. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 1  further comprising switching circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the switching circuitry to:
 couple the first voltage output to the first bias voltage input and the second bias voltage input in the 5G-NR low power mode; and 
 couple the first voltage output and the second voltage output to the first bias voltage input and the second bias voltage input, respectively, in the 5G-NR high power mode. 
 
     
     
       4. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first tracker circuitry is further configured to:
 generate the first voltage as a first envelope tracking (ET) modulated voltage based on a first supply voltage received at a first supply voltage input in response to receiving a first ET modulation signal; and 
 generate the first voltage as a first average power tracking (APT) modulated voltage in response to receiving a first APT modulation signal; and 
 
 the second tracker circuitry is further configured to:
 generate the second voltage as a second ET modulated voltage based on a second supply voltage received at a second supply voltage input in response to receiving a second ET modulation signal; and 
 generate the second voltage as a second APT modulated voltage in response to receiving a second APT modulation signal. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 4  wherein:
 the first tracker circuitry is further configured to generate the first voltage as the first APT modulated voltage in the 5G-NR low power mode and the 5G-NR high power mode; and 
 the second tracker circuitry is further configured to generate the second voltage as the second APT modulated voltage in the 5G-NR high power mode. 
 
     
     
       6. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 4  wherein the power amplifier circuit further comprises:
 a splitter configured to split the 5G-NR signal into a first signal of a first phase and a second signal of a second phase having a ninety-degree offset from the first phase; 
 the carrier amplifier further configured to amplify the first signal to the first power level in response to receiving the first bias voltage at the first bias voltage input; 
 the peaking amplifier further configured to amplify the second signal to the second power level in response to receiving the second bias voltage at the second bias voltage input; and 
 a combiner configured to combine the first signal at the first power level and the second signal at the second power level to generate the 5G-NR signal at the output power level. 
 
     
     
       7. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 6  wherein the power amplifier circuit further comprises an input impedance tuning network coupled to the splitter and an output impedance tuning network coupled to the combiner. 
     
     
       8. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 7  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to control the input impedance tuning network and the output impedance tuning network via the first ET modulation signal and the second ET modulation signal, respectively. 
     
     
       9. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 4  further comprising a long-term evolution (LTE) power amplifier circuit configured to amplify an LTE signal for transmission in an LTE band. 
     
     
       10. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 9  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to couple the second voltage output to the LTE power amplifier circuit for amplifying the LTE signal in the 5G-NR low power mode. 
     
     
       11. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 9  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to couple the first voltage output to provide the first voltage as the first APT modulated voltage to the LTE power amplifier circuit and turn off the second tracker circuitry in an LTE ET single transmit mode. 
     
     
       12. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 9  wherein in an LTE ET single transmit mode, the control circuitry is further configured to:
 couple the first voltage output to the LTE power amplifier circuit to provide the first voltage to the LTE power amplifier circuit as the first ET modulated voltage; and 
 couple the second voltage output to the first supply voltage input to provide the second voltage as the second APT modulated voltage to the first tracker circuitry. 
 
     
     
       13. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 9  further comprising a second LTE power amplifier circuit configured to amplify the LTE signal for transmission in a second LTE band, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to couple the first voltage output and the second voltage output to the LTE power amplifier circuit and the second LTE power amplifier circuit, respectively, in an LTE dual transmit mode. 
     
     
       14. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 4  further comprising a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) power amplifier circuit configured to amplify a WCDMA signal for transmission in a WCDMA band. 
     
     
       15. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 14  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to couple the second voltage output to the WCDMA power amplifier circuit for amplifying the WCDMA signal in the 5G-NR low power mode. 
     
     
       16. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 14  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to couple the first voltage output to provide the first voltage as the first APT modulated voltage to the WCDMA power amplifier circuit and turn off the second tracker circuitry in a WCDMA ET single transmit mode. 
     
     
       17. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 14  wherein in a WCDMA ET single transmit mode, the control circuitry is further configured to:
 couple the first voltage output to the WCDMA power amplifier circuit to provide the first voltage to the WCDMA power amplifier circuit as the first ET modulated voltage; and 
 couple the second voltage output to the first supply voltage input to provide the second voltage as the second APT modulated voltage to the first tracker circuitry. 
 
     
     
       18. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 14  further comprising a second WCDMA power amplifier circuit configured to amplify the WCDMA signal for transmission in a second WCDMA band, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to couple the first voltage output and the second voltage output to the WCDMA power amplifier circuit and the second WCDMA power amplifier circuit, respectively, in a WCDMA dual transmit mode. 
     
     
       19. A multi-mode power management system comprising:
 a power amplifier circuit configured to amplify a signal to an output power level, the power amplifier circuit comprising:
 a carrier amplifier configured to amplify the signal to a first power level in response to receiving a first bias voltage at a first bias voltage input; and 
 a peaking amplifier configured to amplify the signal to a second power level in response to receiving a second bias voltage at a second bias voltage input; 
 wherein a sum of the first power level and the second power level equals the output power level; 
 
 first tracker circuitry configured to generate a first voltage at a first voltage output; 
 second tracker circuitry configured to generate a second voltage at a second voltage output; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 couple the first voltage output to the first bias voltage input and the second bias voltage input in a low power mode; and 
 couple the first voltage output and the second voltage output to the first bias voltage input and the second bias voltage input, 
 
 respectively, in a high power mode. 
 
     
     
       20. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 19  further comprising at least one serial power amplifier circuit, the at least one serial power amplifier circuit comprising:
 a driver stage power amplifier configured to receive a second signal and amplify the second signal to generate a driver stage signal; and 
 an output stage power amplifier configured to amplify the driver stage signal to generate a second output signal. 
 
     
     
       21. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 20  wherein:
 the first tracker circuitry is further configured to:
 generate the first voltage as a first envelope tracking (ET) modulated voltage based on a first supply voltage received at a first supply voltage input in response to receiving a first ET modulation signal; and 
 generate the first voltage as a first average power tracking (APT) modulated voltage in response to receiving a first APT modulation signal; and 
 
 the second tracker circuitry is further configured to:
 generate the second voltage as a second ET modulated voltage based on a second supply voltage received at a second supply voltage input in response to receiving a second ET modulation signal; and 
 generate the second voltage as a second APT modulated voltage in response to receiving a second APT modulation signal. 
 
 
     
     
       22. The multi-mode power management system of  claim 21  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to selectively couple one or more of the first voltage output and the second voltage output to the at least one serial power amplifier circuit.